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Loading...A hearty Guerrero-style pozole features tender pork shoulder simmered with hominy in a deeply flavored guajillo-chile broth. Served with a vibrant array of fresh garnishes at the table, this iconic regional soup balances richness with bright, spicy, herbal notes.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time75 mins
Total Time95 mins
Servings6
Yield6 generous bowls
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 485 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 7 gSaturated Fat
- 36 gCarbs
- 8 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 34 gProtein
- 1180 mgSodium
- 780 mgPotassium
- 110 mgCalcium
- 4.5 mgIron
- 22 mgVitamin C
- 340 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the pork and broth
- 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 cups water
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
For the chile sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
For the stew
- 2 cans (29 oz each) white hominy, drained and rinsed
- Salt to taste
For serving (passed at the table)
- 1 cup shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
- 6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup dried Mexican oregano
- 1/4 cup ground chile powder or piquín
Directions
- Place the pork shoulder in a large Dutch oven with the water, quartered onion, smashed garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 55-60 minutes until the pork is fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chile sauce: toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute per side until fragrant, taking care not to burn them. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
- Drain the chiles and transfer to a blender along with the chipotle in adobo, garlic, cumin, oregano, and 1/2 cup of the pork cooking liquid. Blend on high until completely smooth, then press through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any skins or seeds.
- Remove the cooked pork from the pot and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces, discarding excess large fat. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot, discarding the spent aromatics.
- Return the shredded pork and strained broth to the Dutch oven. Stir in the strained chile sauce and the drained hominy. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so the flavors meld and the hominy absorbs the chile color.
- Taste and adjust salt; the broth should be a deep brick-red color with a smoky, moderately spicy backbone.
- Ladle the stew into large, deep bowls, making sure each portion has plenty of hominy and pork along with the rich broth.
- Serve immediately with the garnishes passed separately in small bowls, allowing each diner to top their pozole with lettuce, radishes, onion, a generous squeeze of lime, a pinch of oregano, and a sprinkle of chile powder to taste.
Cook’s Notes
- For an even more authentic and gelatinous broth, add a split pig's foot along with the pork shoulder during the initial simmer.
- The strained chile sauce can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, which actually deepens its flavor for an even better stew.
- Dried cacahuazintle hominy is traditional in Guerrero; if available, cook it from scratch and add it in place of canned hominy for superior texture.
- Never skip the table garnishes — the cool, crunchy lettuce and radishes, sharp onion, and bright lime are essential to balance the rich, spicy broth.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3 days and taste even better on the second day as the chiles continue to infuse the broth.
